2.0 out of 5 star rating
As a devoted fan of Stephen King‘s works, I have to admit that my expectations for Salem’s Lot were sky-high. Having grown up with the 1979 miniseries and revisiting it countless times, I was eagerly awaiting a fresh take on this chilling tale.
Could it be that the undead vampire is making a comeback as the primary horror figure in films, given the long reign of the zombie?
2024 has already premiered the movie “Abigail,” where a group of mercenaries face dire consequences after kidnapping a wealthy adolescent girl for ransom. The upcoming reimagining of the 1922 silent masterpiece Nosferatu, directed by Robert Eggers (with Bill Skarsgård portraying the lead character) is set to hit UK theaters on New Year’s Day.
In the resurgence of on-screen vampire tales, we now have a movie adaptation of Stephen King’s second published novel, Salem’s Lot. This film is directed and adapted by Gary Dauberman, who has previously contributed to the successful screenplays for King’s It movies.
Originally published in 1975 as a captivating book, it was transformed into a three-hour long television miniseries in 1979 under the guidance of Tobe Hooper, known for Texas Chain Saw Massacre. The series was remarkably chilling and terrifying, with David Soul delivering one of his best performances as Ben Mears, the tormented protagonist. Subsequently, it was trimmed for a cinema release and left an impact on future productions such as Mike Flanagan’s Midnight Mass available on Netflix.
A 2004 TV series starring Rob Lowe and Rutger Hauer was set in contemporary times.
King described his story as “Peyton Place combined with Dracula,” placing it in a peaceful rural town located in Maine. The arrival of antiques dealers Richard Straker and an unidentified partner, Kurt Barlow, corresponds with the return of writer Ben Mears (portrayed by Lewis Pullman) to the hometown where he was orphaned as a youth.
Dauberman maintains the ’70s atmosphere, showcasing fashion trends, hairstyles, and drive-ins as popular hangouts, yet he sparingly delves into character development or creating suspense, instead opting to unveil the identity of the sinister force threatening the community swiftly.
In this rephrased version, the vanishing act of the Glick brothers initiates a series of chilling events, however, a memorable moment from the original 1979 film and a later 2000 League of Gentlemen Christmas special – where Danny Glick, appearing to float and having fangs, scratches at windows to attack his victim – fails to maintain its impact in this rendition.
Quickly, the group of one thousand two hundred individuals dwindles to a small band of five vampire hunters: Ben, his girlfriend Susan, a troubled priest, a medical professional, and a high school student named Mark Petrie. They are the only ones left to prevent the impending disaster.
Indeed, the climactic showdown at the neighborhood drive-in undeniably provides pulse-pounding excitement. However, the most effective adaptations of “The King of Horror” often arise when richly developed characters infuse a chilling narrative with profound emotional resonance.
In this narrative, significant aspects are omitted or under-explored (such as Ben’s chilling childhood at the Marston House, his connections with Susan and Mark), making it difficult to fully utilize the talents of accomplished actors like Alfre Woodard, William Sadler, and Bill Camp who are left yearning for more dialogue.
Regarding the director who wrote all Annabelle films within the Conjuring Universe, it’s important to note that the movie was initially slated for release in 2022. However, due to some delays, additional filming sessions, and organizational changes at Warner Bros, there have been significant alterations made to the film. These adjustments, as reported by Dauberman, involve trimming down the movie by at least an hour, including the removal of an initial scene showcasing Ben’s Marsten House nightmare. In the United States, it has already become available for streaming.
Perhaps a revised version could make it even better, as opposed to this lackluster production, which may have been a premature promise for one of King’s most chilling explorations of terror and heart-pounding dread.
Salem’s Lot is showing in UK cinemas from Friday 11th October 2024.
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2024-10-09 17:34